Research Papers
From Combatant to Civilian : The Psychosocial Wellbeing of Ex-combatants in Kilinochchi and Mullaiti
After the end of a nearly three-decade civil war in 2009, the combatants of the LTTE were enrolled in a rehabilitation programme conducted by the Sri Lanka Army to train and provide means for the ex-combatants so that transition to civilian life would be smoother. Ten years since the end of the war, it is doubtful whether the reintegration into communities is successful despite the efforts of the government. This study was conducted to explore the current psychosocial wellbeing of the ex-combatants, specifically in the Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts. Using information and statistics gathered from the Bureau of the Commissioner General of Rehabilitation (BCGR) and other focal points who all work closely with the ex-combatants in the North, the study concluded that ex-combatants face numerous challenges in their day-to-day lives and that multiple domains of psychosocial wellbeing are severely affected. The findings discussed in this paper would be useful for understanding the prevailing circumstances of ex-combatants in Sri Lanka.